Fall Ball

Well, I got the pictures backwards, but I'm sure everyone will figure it out. Anna Kate had a fall ball at her ballet class this past Saturday and they were allowed to bring a friend. She asked Annie to come and spend the night on Friday night and then go with her the next morning. They had such a good time...I got a taste of what it might be like to have two heads of hair to fix in the mornings. Here is the whole group of girls. The characters ranged from fairies, to Dorothy to Jasmine...I think they all had a good time.

Here they are playing a game with Amy. Amy is the ballet teacher and Anna Kate absolutely loves it. They didn't do much dancing on Saturday, they just played games. Amy always figures out how to tie Jesus into everything and I love that part of it.

Below is right before we left. They were very excited. Nana was going with us and that was a special treat for Anna Kate too.

As I said, Annie spent the night with us the night before. I slept in the living room on the floor with them. Yes...all night! They had a great time though. Ben got to be with us for a while but they made him watch princess movies until his daddy finally took him in the other room to play games. I guess he'll have to get used to that though. He and Annie claim they are still going to get married when they grow up. As a matter of fact, Sherry told me that Annie kept telling everyone she was going to spend the night with her boyfriend...we quickly corrected that thought!

Winkin' Girl

I had to write this before I forgot.

Ben and Scott are out shooting hoops tonight. Scott told Ben that if he made a basket he would give him a dollar. Well, Anna Kate heard that...she said "Daddy, can I have a dollar?" Apparently he told her no. She then asked "If I wink at you, will you give me a dollar?"

Oh brother!

By the way, Ben did make a basket...his first one! No...I didn't capture it on film!

It's cold in here!

Well, we turned on our furnace over the weekend and was not the least bit surprised to find that it doesn't work!!!!!! It came on, went off, clicked three or four times, made a loud bang, came on, went off, etc. etc. Needless to say, the furnace people will be here tomorrow. At first, I was a little upset, however, I realized I need not whine. I will say though that the kitchen was freezing Monday morning so Anna Kate and Ben snuggled in the chair that morning eating their breakfast and Karley and Colton had a picnic in the living room floor where a space heater was blowing. They had a good time and the house warmed up quite a bit by the afternoon. We just stayed in sweatshirts and socks!

A Great Fall Day!

I love fall! Fall is my favorite season. I'm not sure why, but I love it. Saturday was a great day. We spent some time in the yard playing in the leaves and carving pumpkins. We have two great trees in our front yard and the leaves are filling the yard! We got our rakes and the kids had fun helping rake up the leaves and then they played in them. Our neighbor offered her leaf blower and I declined saying "Oh, we're not really cleaning them up, we're just having fun!" I know, weird...all the leaves we raked are still in the yard.

After we played in the leaves, Scott carved the pumpkins for the kids. He has to be quite creative because Ben doesn't always just want the normal face. The pumpkin has to have a certain expression.

In this picture, Scott is trying to understand how Anna Kate wants her pumpkin's face...
Master carver at work...
The carver's work being scrutinized by two very important people....

Anna Kate LOVED playing in the leaves! I love this picture! Her expression priceless!
I made Ben stop playing superhero just so I could get this shot of him. While we were outside, he played in the leaves with his swords. Of course, he was not Ben...

Look at this cute thing! Is she not precious? I know she's mine, but I can't help but think she's the prettiest little girl I have ever seen!
Here is Ben in his "role". Don't ask who he was because I have NO idea! He was a turtle, sonic, batman or someone from Star Wars. I can't keep up!

Cutie

After choir practice last night, Anna Kate and I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some jackets for she and Ben. She saw this little pink hat and she looked so cute in it...I couldn't resist. When she woke up this morning, she asked for it first thing (and notice the bed she's in...mine, of course).
Here she is with her hair fixed. She decided she wanted to wear it when we ran our errands. I think she's got to be the cutest little thing...I really need to find her one of those crocheted hats.
At lunch, we were having a discussion about the upcoming elections...

Anna Kate said "Mommy, Jesus is the leader".

I said "You are right, He is the leader".

She then said, in a very confident tone, "Jesus told me He was".

Two Dancing Princesses

Anna Kate has introduced Karley to Bella Dancerella. They won't do it unless they have dresses on and they have to be princess dresses. Please ignore the laundry on the love seat and the toys all over the floor in the picture...that's how it looks at my house most of the time during the day...I can't keep up with it all. I wasn't about to clean it up and miss the photo ops! Enjoy!

Deep Theology

On the way to choir practice this evening here was my conversation with Anna Kate:

Anna Kate: Mommy, how does God see everyone?

Me: Well, there are some awfully big words that describe that but just know that God is so much bigger than us and it's something we can't really understand right now.

Anna Kate: Does He have six eyes?



A conversation with Ben the other day about playing with Penelope:

Me: Ben, you really need to go out and play with Penelope. She's probably a little lonely out there.

Ben: But mom, I don't like it when she jumps on me.

Me: I would really like for you to go out there and play with her a little.

(I walk into the next room and Ben follows me...)

Ben: Mom, I think God is telling me to go out there and play with Penelope. So, I'm going to.

Me: Well, that's good...how do you know God is telling you that?

Ben: I just sensed that was what He was telling me.

Penelope

Meet Penelope...Ben's new pup. She's around 3 months old and Ben has had a good time playing with her so far. She's a terrier mix so after two days in the house I thought she would make a good outside dog. We have a fenced yard so Scott covered any holes and now she's running and playing in the yard. Ben has run off alot of energy playing with her. I've never been much of an animal person but she is cute...just VERY energetic!

Drama Queen 2

Well, Anna Kate didn't feel well this weekend...she ended up with the Barbie as The Island Princess movie that her heart was longing for...

Drama Queen

I was looking up some stuff online for Ben's schoolwork and Anna Kate came up behind me and asked me if she could watch something. I said "No, we don't have time, we'll be leaving here in a few minutes". She said "But mommy, my heart just feels like I want to watch it". It was the Barbie Island Princess movie that she doesn't have but wants...could this be a hint? Such a drama queen!

Ben's Work

So far so good again today...we are on a short break. I hope you enjoy the pictures.



Here is Ben doing some spelling with magnets on the refrigerator. (This one was Marisa's idea and he loves it!) Yes, I try to keep the magnets in that order so I don't have to get them in order before he does his work. Poor little Colton loves these things but I have to keep telling him no or they end up, well, not on the refrigerator...
Here is a book...second grade level. He loves it. If you can see it, read the paragraph. Now, here was his reasoning. At first, he pointed to the second one which is..."We will cook dinner". I had to tell him not to use mommy's reasoning but his own. To this, he grinned and pointed to the first one...that kid!!!!!
Poor little Anna Kate...her pre-school only takes 30 minutes to an hour and then she has to be quiet for me. She watches a movie or plays...she's so good for me. What a sweet thing!
Here is Ben on a break. He instantly turns into a turtle these days when he's on a break.

Lunch Conversation

Okay, had to write this before I forgot...

Anna Kate: Mommy, does Karley know Jesus?

Mommy: I don't know, she might be a little young yet...

Ben: Karley, you need to ask Jesus into your heart. Mommy, does God know if Karley is a Christian?

Mommy: Yes, God does know.

Oh, little minds. So simple. They are worried about their cousin's spiritual condition when she is not yet three...how much can we learn from that?